What is Turath?

The term “Turath” is derived from the root word (wa-ri-tha) which indicates the act of inheriting something from another person (1). Hence, Turath generally refers to something that is inherited (الموروث) from a person who has died, which includes wealth or assets. This word in its exact morpheme appears only once in the Holy Quran:

وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَّمًّا
“And you devour others’ inheritance greedily”  [Al-Fajr:19]

In its technical sense, Turath, as defined by Sheikh Ali Gomaa, refers to the human intellectual output transmitted through the means of writings and speech over at least the past century (2). To put it simply, Turath Islamiy can be understood as the Islamic intellectual heritage. Generally, the works of our scholars can either be classified as Turath or Mu’asir (contemporary). When we come across books written by Imam al-Shafie, Imam al-Ghazali, and Imam al-Bajuri, for instance, those are considered books of Turath based on the above definition. Meanwhile, books written by the likes of Shaykh Wahbah al-Zuhaily, Shaykh Ramadan al-Buthi, and other recent scholars are categorised as Mu’asir books as they were produced less than a century ago.

Two Main Aspects of Turath

It is also essential to understand that the Turath of our scholars is characterised by two main aspects (3). First is the aspect of Turath as an intellectual product (nitaaj fikriy), with its primary  sources being the Quran and Sunnah. This basically means that the Quran and Sunnah cannot be classified as Turath as they are considered divine revelation (al-wahy). Instead, they serve as the main source of ideas and methodologies found in the works of our scholars. This distinction between Turath and al-Wahy is crucial: Turath is a human product that is open to critique and assessment, while al-Wahy is a divine revelation that is preserved from any errors.

Secondly, Turath needs to be viewed as a historical reality (waqi’ tarikhiy) surrounded by a particular context. This aspect plays an important role in identifying the possible factors that influenced the ideas of a scholar and its applicability in the current context. For example, in order to read the works of Imam al-Ghazali, who lived in the 11th century, we need to familiarise ourselves by understanding the language and context of his time. When viewed from these two lenses, a correct and comprehensive understanding of Turath will be developed. 

Unique Features of Turath Islamiy

Although Turath is confined by its historical context, it remains an integral part of our Islamic scholarship. Turath Islamiy is also distinguished from other classical works with notable unique features. We will take a look at three of them (4).

Firstly, as mentioned earlier, Turath Islamiy draws its methodologies from the principles of the Quran and Sunnah. As the Quran and Sunnah are the primary sources of knowledge and wisdom, all disciplines of knowledge in our Islamic tradition ultimately stem from divine  revelation. As Dr. Ramadan Abd el-Tawwab, a prominent scholar of the Arabic language, aptly described:

لولا القرآن ما كانت العربية
“If it weren’t for the Quran, the Arabic language wouldn’t  have existed.” 

When this feature of Turath is taken into account, we will comprehend the fact that our past scholars did not put forth their ideas in a vacuum. Rather, it must be based on the worldview of Islam. Turath also serves as an intellectual instrument to understand the Quran; hence, it is being said:

لا يوجد جزء من معارف الأمة التراثية إلا وهو وسيلة من أجل القرآن
“Every aspect of Islam’s intellectual heritage serves as a means for (understanding) the Quran.”

The second important and unique feature of Turath Islamiy is that every methodology and idea presented by our scholars in their works are accompanied by evidence (al-dalil), both rational (aqliy) and textual  (naqliy). This emphasis on providing evidence represents the objectivity of Turath Islamiy and the disregard of subjectivity and unscholarliness in reaching a conclusion. For example, if we were to study Fiqh we would realise that every ruling is supported by cogent reasonings and principles. In this regard, Imam al-Qarafi, a 13th century Maliki jurist, once noted:

كل فقه لم يخرج على القواعد فليس بشيء

“Every juristic ruling that does not adhere to the established principles is invalid.” (5)

As a result, our Islamic intellectual tradition teaches us to adopt the concept of critical thinking and to base our line of thoughts with valid reasoning and evidence.

Lastly, the uniqueness and relevance of Turath Islamiy lie in its comprehensiveness in terms of disciplines. To understand a single work of a scholar, we need to master numerous disciplines, including Arabic language and all its branches (there are at least 12 of them), Mantiq (logic), Usul al-Fiqh (principles of Fiqh), and many more. These sciences are categorised as Ulum al-Wasaail (auxiliary sciences), which serve as a tool to understand the Ulum al-Ghayat (core sciences), such as Tafsir (exegesis), Fiqh (jurisprudence), and Aqidah (creed) (. When engaging with a scholarly text, it is crucial to find the intended idea of the author and not to fall into misconceptions. Therefore, mastering these different sciences will help us understand the profound thought processes of a scholar behind his ideas. This reflects the vastness and interdisciplinary nature of our intellectual tradition, which spans across innumerable disciplines and fields of knowledge.

Conclusion

In summary, Turath Islamiy occupies a significant and revered place in our Islamic scholarship. The works of our past scholars represent a huge part of the intellectual movement in the Muslim world. The above observations provide a window into the essence of Turath and its unique marks. As students of knowledge, we should cultivate a deep appreciation for Turath Islamiy and dedicate ourselves to its study.

(1) Majmaʻ al-Lughah al-ʻArabīyah, Al-Qamus Al-Muhith (Dar al-Dakwah: Istanbul, 1972), 1024.
(2) Ali Gomaa, Al-Tariq ila Al-Turath Al-Islamiy (Nahdah Misr: Cairo, 2009), 19.
(3) Ibid., 20.
(4) Khaled Fahmi and Ahmed Mahmoud, Madkhal ila Al-Turath Al-Arabiy Al-Islamiy, (Giza: Turath for Research and Studies, 2014), 28.
(5) Shihab Al-Din Al-Qarafi, Al-Dhakhirah, vol.1 (Beirut: Dar al-Gharb al-Islamiy), 55.